Waldbrand in Saxony: Flames threaten the biogas plant and human life!

Waldbrand in Saxony: Flames threaten the biogas plant and human life!

in Riesa, Saxony, a heavy forest fire on the former military training area in Gohrischheide has caused great excitement. Since the early hours of the morning, over 200 fire brigade, the technical relief organization (THW) and other emergency services have been fighting against the flames that spread rapidly due to the dryness and strong wind. The picture reported that the affected area has already grown to 600 hectares.

The proximity of the fire to a biogas plant that is threatened by the flames is particularly worrying. The emergency services are on site to prevent further expansion of the fire and to ensure that the situation does not escalate. Two firefighters have already seriously injured the extinguishing attempts. In addition, around 100 people, including the residents of a dormitory for severely disabled people, were evacuated to ensure their security.

evacuation measures and security concerns

The fire brigade has also spent warnings for the districts of Sonneberg and Saale-Orla in Thuringia due to the strong smoke development that spreads to Bavaria, as well as for the Bavarian districts of Kronach, Kulmbach and Hof. Residents were asked to keep windows and doors closed to prevent health impairments by the pollutants in the air. The MDR reported that the evacuation warning for the municipality of Lichtenensee was issued before midnight.

The forest fire has also reached the forest border near Nieska, which presents the fire brigade with additional challenges, since the old ammunition remains in the soil further endanger the use of the extinguishing forces. These factors make the situation particularly confusing because the firefighters are tirelessly deployed all night, supported by farmers who use combine harvesters to reduce fire load.

context and forest fire ranges in Germany

In fact, the Federal Environment Agency shows that forest fires are increasing in Germany in recent years. In 2023 there were 1,059 forest fires - a decline by half compared to the previous year, but the affected forest area is 1,240 hectares above the long -term average. This indicates that the risk of forest fire could increase due to climate changes, which could make the fires even more dangerous in the future.

human action, often in the form of arson, is one of the main causes of forest fires. Almost 40 % of cases are triggered by such activities. The fire in the Gohrischheide is involved in a series of similar incidents that have occurred in recent years and throws a light on the urgently needed measures to combat these dangers.

The effects of forest fires are not only noticeable locally, but also spacious, with smoke development even moving to other federal states. The emergency services remain optimistic that the situation can soon be brought under control, while the residents in the area are waiting tense for developments.